SUMMARY OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS

Engineering Materials have to the engineers have to know the best and most
economical materials to use. Engineers must also understand the properties of
these materials and how they can be worked. There are two kinds of materials used
in engineering-metals and non-metals. We can divide metals into ferrous and non-
ferrous metals. The former contain iron and the latter do not contain iron. Cast iron
and steel, which are both alloys, or mixtures of iron and carbon, are the two most
important ferrous metals. Steel contains a smaller proportion of carbon than cast
iron contains. Non-ferrous metals divided into material type of Aluminum, copper
and the alloys, bronze and brass.

Non-Ferrous devided into material type of plastics and ceramics. Plastics are
classified into two types-thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics can be
shaped and reshaped by heat and pressure but thermosets cannot be reshaped
because they undergo chemical changes as they harden. Ceramics are often
employed by engineers when materials which can withstand high temperatures are
needed.